


Six

by reminiscingintherain



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, M/M, best possible scenario, i guess, lawsuit, legal stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-29
Updated: 2017-09-29
Packaged: 2019-01-06 17:04:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12215121
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reminiscingintherain/pseuds/reminiscingintherain
Summary: Years. Months. Hours. Minutes.A reluctant agreement. A successful career. A lawsuit.Some things are worth fighting for. The two of them? Their relationship? Definitely worth it.





	Six

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lululawrence](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lululawrence/gifts).



> Hi there! This is a (late) birthday offering for the lovely [Sus](http://lululawrence.tumblr.com) \- I'm so sorry it's taken so long, but I really hope you like it!!
> 
> A huge massive thank you to [Jess](http://someonethatsfunny.tumblr.com/) for your awesome beta work and encouragement - you're the best.
> 
> Rebloggable tumblr post [here](https://reminiscingintherain.tumblr.com/post/165859188830/six-by-reminiscingintherain-pairing-harry).

“I don’t wanna do it,” Louis murmured, as he rested his head against his boyfriend’s shoulder.

“I know,” Harry whispered, brushing a kiss over Louis’ hair and squeezing him gently. “But you know why they want it. Why it’s gotta happen.”

“It just doesn’t make sense,” Louis sighed, shifting around so he could see Harry properly. “I don’t understand what’s so offensive about love. It’s not like we’re gonna fuck onstage in front of ‘impressionable minds’, or ‘prey on unsuspecting children’, or any of that bollocks.” He gently stroked Harry’s cheek, giving him a soft smile. “I just wanna be able to hold your hand when we’re out and about. Sit with you and talk about our lives in interviews. Tell everyone that you’re mine and I’m yours and that we’re it for each other… y’know?”

“I know,” Harry replied quietly, his voice rough with emotion. “I understand, Lou, completely.” He leaned forward, resting his forehead against Louis’. “We’ll be able to do all of that, eventually. But not yet. We’re just starting out, and we don’t want to lose any of this amazing momentum we’ve got. We have three other people to think about.”

“Bullshit,” Louis muttered. “You know the lads would be happy for us.”

“Yeah, I do,” Harry said patiently. “They’re pretty damn awesome like that. But that doesn’t change the fact that management and Simon think it’s a bad idea. They’re the ones with all the experience in this industry. We have to be guided by what they think is best.”

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Louis pouted.

“Well, no,” Harry chuckled. “I’m not exactly thrilled to be watching my boyfriend holding hands with someone else, let alone a girl. And I’m sure at some point you’re gonna have to kiss her.”

“Kiss her??” Louis looked horrified. “No one said anything about kissing! Fucking hell.”

“You’ll have to try and sell it, babe,” Harry said soothingly. “And that’ll probably mean at least a couple public kisses.”

“I hate it, all of it,” Louis huffed. “I’m not straight, no matter how hard I tried to convince myself of that a couple years ago.”

“I know,” reassured Harry. “And everyone who really knows us knows too. It’s going to be okay. You heard what Simon said; 18 months, two years maximum. Just to get us established, then we can be together publicly. Like we should be.”

“Well, just in case,” Louis mumbled, grabbing his phone up and opening his Twitter app. “Let me just put this out there. For us.”

 

His fingers tapped across the screen of a new tweet, what would become an iconic and much-loved line throughout most of the One Direction fandom:

 

_Always in my heart @Harry_Styles . Yours sincerely, Louis_

 

 

**_SIX YEARS LATER_ **

 

“Can you tell us what the case is about, Mr Tomlinson?”

“Are you being sued for assault on your fans?”

“Are you going to go to prison, Louis?”

“Why is Mr Cowell here?”

“There’s reports that Harry Styles has gone out a different exit - can you confirm or deny this?”

“Why is this a closed court, Mr Tomlinson?”

“Is this about your son?”

“Is this about your ex?”

 

Louis grit his teeth as he pushed his way through the crowd of paps and reporters outside the court and climbed into the waiting car, Alberto shutting the door firmly behind him. He closed his eyes and sat back against the cool interior, one hand rubbing at his face as he let out a deep sigh.

 

“You okay, babe?” Harry murmured from the opposite him.

 

Louis opened his eyes and looked at Harry with a small smile.

 

“I will be, eventually,” he replied quietly. “This is even more of a circus than I was expecting. How the hell did the press find out about it?”

“Simon,” Harry told him. “I overheard his PA in the corridor before we went in, tipping off everyone she could think of. He can’t outright say what it’s about, but he can try and control the spin, make it look like it’s you in the wrong. He’s got the media wrapped around his little finger.”

 

Louis let out an ungraceful snort.

 

“That’s what he thinks,” he muttered. “Wait til the truth comes out. He’ll be fucked from here to eternity.”

“Nah, that sounds too much like fun,” Harry smiled cheekily. “But his reputation will definitely be in ruins after this.” He shrugged a little. “There’ll be a few die-hards that will say he was in the right and he’s the best thing since sliced bread, but most will turn against him.” Harry reached over, resting a hand on Louis’ knee. “And that’s what we’re aiming for, babe. It’s time to see that motherfucker burn.”

 

Louis gave him a small smile, and then leaned forward to press his lips gently against Harry’s. He raised a hand to Harry’s neck, carefully holding him in place as he prolonged the kiss a little, before pulling back slowly.

 

“Thank you, for being here,” he murmured.

“Oh, Lou,” Harry sighed. “Where else would I be? I’m just sorry I can’t walk out of the courts right by your side yet.”

“At the end,” Louis assured him. “When we win. Right?”

“Definitely… just try keeping me away,” Harry smiled. “We’ll tear it all down, and dance around the flames.”

“You’re a bit of a pyro today,” Louis giggled softly, his eyes crinkled tightly as he gazed at his fiancé lovingly.

“What can I say?” Harry asked, the grin that started to spread over his face alerting Louis that a bad pun or joke was on its way. “I’m just a hunk of burning love for you, baby.”

“That was awful, Harold,” Louis snickered. “I expected better.”

“We’re here, lads,” Alberto’s voice came through the intercom from the front seat.

“Cheers Al,” Louis called back, then pressed a quick kiss against Harry’s cheek. “C’mon, time to go let everyone know how it went today.”

 

They both climbed out of the back of the car and made their way inside the house, greeting their combined family with hugs, before they settled down in the cosy den to discuss the events of the day.

 

“He was soooo shell-shocked when he realised that we were both there,” Louis said, taking a sip of his mug of tea. “Literally, he did not expect us to both be there, did he, Haz?”

“Nope,” Harry shook his head. “Never let it be said that Simon Cowell doesn’t do a good goldfish impression - he certainly pulled one out the bag today.”

“So, the promo season worked?” Lottie asked, raising an eyebrow as she made herself more comfortable next to Tommy. “He bought the whole antagonistic stuff you both had going for a while?”

“Hook, line, and sinker,” Louis grinned gleefully. “Going by his face, he thought me and Haz were done. He wasn’t expecting us to present a united front today.”

“Which pretty clearly shows how little he knows you,” Zayn pointed out. “Like either of you would ever say - and mean - anything horrible about the other. Publicly anyway,” he added with a smirk.

“Curly-haired-cunt,” Niall coughed into his hand.

“There were extenuating circumstances,” Louis insisted. “And that came out, anyway.”

“Anyway,” Anne put in forcefully, before the conversation could devolve further. “How do you think it went, aside from the goldfish and shock?”

 

Harry and Louis exchanged looks.

 

“Pretty positive, for us anyway,” Harry ceded. “The judge looked to be on our side a little, and quite sympathetic.” He smiled as Louis squeezed his hand. “We managed to get through quite a bit too - X Factor, the contract that followed, Louis getting called over to LA after the G-A-Y gig, and the introduction of Eleanor.”

“You’ve still got a lot to go, little bro,” Gemma commented softly. “When do we need to be ready?”

“The judge wants to hear our side of everything first, then Simon’s opinion,” Harry rolled his eyes, “and then we get to call upon witnesses for each side. I think the boys will be up first, then families.”

 

There were a few moments of silence, as the missing pieces of the family were acknowledged.

 

“Mum would be so damn proud of you, Lou,” Fizzy told him softly. “She’d be right there if she could, telling him every single thing this family has done because of him and his godawful contracts, and how it impacted on every single thing we’ve done for the past six years.”

“I know, Fiz,” he replied. “She knew we were thinking of doing this though. She knew we’d do it as soon as we could get everything in line for it.”

“She also recorded a video statement,” Harry added, smiling softly as Louis turned his head to look at him sharply. “She wanted to be a part of this, Lou, even if she wasn’t here physically. And she told me not to tell you she’d done it, cos she didn’t want you to lose your drive to get to this point. But I figure we’re in bloody court, we’re doing this shit, so…” he shrugged slightly. “I wasn’t about to argue with her. You know what she’s like when she gets an idea in her head. But I’ve seen it. And it’s gonna help. So, so much.”

“Typical Mum,” Louis mumbled. “Can’t ever keep her nose out of anything.”

 

With that, he buried his face in Harry’s shoulder, hiding away as Harry pulled him closer, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

 

“I think it’s going to be a long, drawn out process,” Harry said quietly. “But it’s going to be worth it. We’re going to win. I can feel it.”

 

 

**_SIX MONTHS LATER_ **

 

“I hereby proclaim that this court finds the defendant guilty,” the judge declared. “All contracts and legalities between the defendant and those named in the suit as claimants – Mr’s Tomlinson, Styles, Horan, Malik, and Payne – are terminated, effective immediately. Any and all bindings are thereby nullified. The defendant will pay the claimants a sum of $75m each, as well as a further $175m to be split evenly between LGBTQ, entertainment, and children’s charities, both here in the United States, and in the United Kingdom.” He held a hand up as Simon protested loudly that he would be left without anything. “I’m sure, Mr Cowell, with your wide range of abilities, you’ll be able to find a way of scraping some funds together to live on.”

“This is ludicrous,” Simon fumed. “You can’t do this to me.” He paused. “Don’t you know who I am?”

“At this stage, Mr Cowell, I am more than aware of exactly who you are,” the judge replied drily. “Which is precisely why I’ve chosen the punishment I have. You are a narcissistic, psychopathic, egomaniac, who has, repeatedly and without anything remotely resembling guilt or remorse of any kind, chosen to forcibly closet and berate your clients, who were at the beginning of their careers merely children. Where you had the opportunity to support and develop these young men and their fanbase with the LGBTQ community, you instead chose to fall back onto antiquated and heteronormative thoughts and ideals, by forcing heterosexual and homophobic personas onto them, by encouraging and fostering homophobia and division and bullying with relation to the publicity and fandom around them. Your ignorant and outdated actions have caused harmful damage, to both the claimants’ mental health, and the mental health of those who care about them. You do not get to tell me what I can and cannot do, Mr Cowell. I think you’ve done enough ordering others around for one lifetime.”

 

With that, he banged his gavel on the desk and dismissed the court, leaving a shocked and stunned silence in his wake as he swept towards his chambers.

 

Simon opened his mouth, about to start another tirade at his former employees, but was stopped as his lawyer laid a hand on his arm, and shook his head slightly. The five men of One Direction watched on in gleeful pleasure as he was escorted from the court towards the rear exit of the building, away from the press and media who were gathered on the front steps.

 

“Shall we head out then, lads?” Louis asked as the door closed behind their ex-tormenter slash boss. “United front?”

“Definitely,” Harry smiled brightly, immediately sliding his hand into Louis’.

“All for one, one for all,” Liam grinned, squeezing Zayn’s waist gently.

“Yada, yada, yada,” Niall rolled his eyes. “C’mon, you sappy fuckers. Let’s get out there already.”

“Like you’re not our biggest fan, Neil,” Louis sassed.

 

They left the court, gently ribbing each other in the way they’d become used to in the seven years they’d been friends, but all stopped as they reached the lobby, exchanging small smiles. With a collective deep breath, they strode through the doors, ready to finally tell the truth – or at least a small part of it for now – that they’d been desperate to tell for so long.

 

 

**_SIX HOURS LATER_ **

 

“Jesus fuck,” Louis sighed heavily as he shut the front door behind Lottie and Tommy. “I thought they were all planning to stay overnight at one point there.”

 

Harry let out a grunt from where he was sprawled inelegantly across the sofa. Louis looked at him and rolled his eyes a little.

 

“You stay there, babe, I’ll clear up the mugs and plates,” Louis told him snarkily.

“Sure,” Harry mumbled, shifting onto his side.

“Such a lazy shit, Harold.”

“Like you’re gonna clear anything up,” Harry murmured. “You’re gonna bitch and moan now, but you won’t do a fucking thing, and leave it for me. Cos you know that if you don’t do it the way I like, I’ll get mardy with you.”

“Well, it’s just easier,” Louis huffed. “You get so moody.”

“That’s cos you half-arse it,” Harry sighed as he pushed himself up to his feet, and started to collect the used crockery together.

 

Louis stopped him, taking his hands gently, and rubbing his thumb over the solid silver adorning Harry’s ring finger.

 

“Hey there, Styles,” he said softly.

“Hello, Lou,” Harry murmured, leaning down slightly to rest his forehead against Louis’.

“I love you,” Louis told him seriously, starting to smile as Harry flashed his dimple.

“Love you too,” Harry grinned.

“Gonna marry you.”

“Should hope so, you’ve asked me enough times.”

“Watch the cheek, I can still change my mind.”

“Lies.”

 

Louis smiled softly, going up on his tiptoes and pulling Harry into a tender kiss, gripping the back of his neck carefully. Harry kissed him back with a low hum, holding onto Louis’ hips as he tugged him closer. Breaking away slowly, Louis took Harry’s hand and started to lead the way to the stairs, walking up to their bedroom, the washing up forgotten on the coffee table.

 

When they reached the door, Louis stopped Harry with a soft ‘wait here,’ and slipped inside. Less than a minute later, he returned and carefully pulled Harry into the room, which was lit softly with a number of scented candles on various surfaces. Harry looked around in surprise, taking in the small bouquets that filled vases on either side of the bed, which itself was bedecked in a different set of sheets than when they’d left that morning. A pristine white, luxurious high thread count, the kind they only used on extra special occasions.

 

“Lou…” he said softly, his voice full of awe.

“I figured, since we’re celebrating, I’d push the boat out a bit,” Louis replied, biting his lip and fidgeting with his fringe nervously.

“It’s perfect,” Harry told him earnestly. “You’re the best fiancé I could ever have hoped for.”

“Soulmates,” Louis murmured, reaching out to tangle his fingers through Harry’s.

“Soulmates,” echoed Harry with a loving smile.

 

Harry kissed Louis lightly, then reached for the top button of Louis’ shirt, the jacket and tie having long been discarded after they’d returned home earlier. Frowning slightly in concentration, Harry took his time, slowly unfastening each button and lightly stroking the tanned skin revealed beneath. Louis shivered at the feel of the delicate caresses, his own hands resting easily on Harry’s hips, as he waited patiently and relaxed into the slow build-up of feeling inside him. Once Harry reached the last button, he moved his hands to each of Louis’ wrists, removing the decorative cufflinks one by one, and threw them in the general direction of the dressing table. His eyes locked onto Louis’ as he slowly pushed the cotton fabric off over his shoulders, letting it fall carelessly to the floor. Harry trailed his fingertips over Louis’ chest and stomach to the waistband of his trousers. A slightly raised eyebrow and a nod, and the trousers, along with his tight black briefs, were being pushed to join the shirt at his feet, leaving Louis naked in front of a fully dressed Harry.

 

“How the fuck did I get so lucky?” Harry murmured, his eyes raking over his fiancé hungrily. “You’re so beautiful, Lou.”

“Haz…” Louis shifted slightly, flushing delicately in embarrassment.

“Don’t try and tell me otherwise,” chastised Harry as he leaned in to kiss Louis lightly. “You won’t convince me, and I’ll just get a bit huffy with you.”

“Oh, well, we can’t have you getting huffy, can we?” Louis teased with a wide grin.

“Shut your face, Tommo, I’m trying to seduce you here.”

“You’re not doing a very good job; you’re wearing too many clothes for a start,” Louis pointed out.

 

Before he could say anything further, Harry kissed him again, gently nipping at his bottom lip with his teeth, before he pulled back. He made quick work of stripping himself, pressing his lips against Louis’ again as he carefully guided him back onto the bed and crawled up over him. Hands slid over bare skin, caressing and stroking, increasing the heat between the two men as they moved together sinuously, neither taking it any further than that for a long time.

 

After an extensive period of just making out, their kisses started to gain in intensity, growing in desperation, until one of them reached into the bedside drawer and pulled out the half empty bottle of lube. The click of the lid was barely heard over the pants and sighs, and a low groan filled the room as slick fingers filled and stretched. Their mouths pressed together again firmly, while their bodies connected intimately, rocking and grinding together in a very familiar rhythm. They gasped each other’s names repeatedly, their hands tightening around limbs until they both stiffened at the same time and shuddered together.

 

Afterwards, as they relaxed together in the afterglow, their skin glistening with exertion, Harry tangled his fingers through Louis’ and pressed a kiss to his knuckles.

 

“Love you,” he murmured.

“Love you too, Haz,” sighed Louis, shifting closer. “Hey, I have a question.”

“Okay?”

“Can I put a picture of us on Instagram? Like, now?” Louis bit his lip apprehensively.

 

Harry started to smile as he sat up a little to look at the love of his life.

 

“We can do whatever what we want, Lou,” he said gently. “So if you want a photo of us online for everyone to see, then go right ahead.” Harry stroked Louis’ hair carefully out of his eyes. “I’d be so fucking proud to be there.”

 

Louis smiled brightly, his eyes crinkling a little at the sides, before he pressed a firm kiss to Harry’s lips and grabbed his phone.

 

“Let’s do this,” he murmured.

 

**_SIX MINUTES LATER_ **

 

After a few retakes and a bit of low-level editing on the image to meet with Harry’s exacting standards, it was out there, with what Louis thought was the perfect caption:

 

_Forever in my heart @harrystyles , love always, Louis xx_


End file.
